Goal achieved - 5 pairs of shoes out!

Woohoo! I achieved one of my 2016 purging goals - to let go of 5 pairs of shoes this year. 

I passed on a pair of Guess wedge strappy sandals to my coworker - I had purchased them so long ago and hardly got the opportunity to wear them. With her style and outfits, I thought they would be a great fit for her. 

Now that I'm housing more in my closet, space is a very big deal - it might seem like a drag, but it's actually really great for me to be more conscious of what works with my lifestyle, and if it can physically fit in my closet. 

Spring cleaning!!!

Over the weekend, my husband and I, delved right into the spirit of Spring Cleaning!

We let go of a lot of books and DVDs; consolidated a number of items into one organized cube shelving unit; removed furniture, and re-organized some furniture for better uses; managed to create more open space in our condo; and removed the remaining gross carpet in our bedroom in preparation for new floors. Talk about being productive!

Turning to my closet - we removed the inefficient cube shelving unit (it's now in the living room and looks so awesome) and replaced it with 4 shelves meant for shoes, but we turned two upside down to stack, making it the perfect height for my bags; they're also shorter than the original shelving unit so my clothes hang better. I am now storing the remainder of my shoes in my closet as opposed to an ottoman that was in the bedroom (which we are now using in the living room, where it should go). 

Honestly, the consolidation makes me closet look less than ideal now  but I do have more wardrobe related items in it, which is what I eventually want (to consolidate every wardrobe related item into one area), and it definitely strengthens my goal of wanting to have less. The sheer number of my bags and shoes, along with everything else, is overwhelming and I just want as much out as possible. Once we are done with the rest of our condo, I will be refocusing my attention back to my wardrobe and closet. 

March comings and goings - first purchase-free month of 2016!

Comings - 1

• Swarovski necklace - a gift from my Godmother

Goings - 4 (+1 from February)

• Adidas Superstars - I actually forgot to include this in my February count, but I let these go as they were a lot more worn looking than I remembered.
• 2 Eddie Bauer sundresses - I bought these not because I loved them, but I needed something light for a trip I was taking a few years ago. I only wore them a couple of times each but never was too impressed with them. I held on to them because it seemed like a waste, but it's just as much a waste if I'm not wearing them and they're taking up closet space. 
• Vintage wedges - I love them and they're super cute but the other day I tried wearing them to work and had to change out of them immediately by the time I got there. I think I wore them before, I wasn't doing too much walking. The walking distance I have for my commute to work isn't even that long. 
• Navy Zara kitten heels - SO sad about these as they just became a wardrobe staple but unfortunately they make an incredible amount of noise on the concrete. Constantly squeaking and in trying to walk a certain way to avoid the squeaking, have been causing me pain. So choked to let these go as they went so well with a lot of my outfits, but there's just no way around it =(

On a plus side, to-date, I'm already 4 pairs of shoes in (or gone, depending on how you look at it haha) towards my goal of letting go 5 pairs of shoes this year.

Sell threshold

I talked before about a 'buy', or 'cost per wear threshold' as a criteria I use to decide whether or not I should buy something - my buy threshold is a cost per wear of $1.

So, how do I decide whether or not sell something? 

Sometimes it's very easy to let something go, especially when I'm getting the price I want for it, but what about the times when I know the price I can get for it, may not be worth letting go? Of course it's easy to reason that I should sell it because I'm not using it anyway, it will free up space for something that I love now, and something is better than nothing, but when you love bags as much as I do, it's hard. 

I went through this again on Sunday when sold my Coach Poppy Madras for $30. I originally listed it for $45 on Friday night, and decided that I wanted a quick sale instead of waiting it out. What made me decide to let it go for so low? I decided that for the period of time that it was in my possession, and how many times I used it, less the amount I will recoup from it, I was worth it.  

I purchased it in 2012 on sale for $79 (original price is $158) and during that time, I used it for a recorded 17 times since 2014 when I started to keep track. If I sell it for $30, then I 'bought' it for $49. The breakdown cost per wear of that is $2.88. For me to hit $1 cost per wear, I would have had to have used it 49 times; I know I haven't used it that much but definitely more than 17 times, so I calculated that my total cost per wear for this item is probably closer to under $2. Seeing it calculated like that helped me realize that I got good use out of the bag, and get over the emotional connection to the bag and I happily let it go. Now I'm one item less towards reaching one of my 2016 goals =)

 

Wardrobe goals for 2016

Last year I worked hard on making more focused purchases and tried to make sure that each item I brought in would make at least 3 outfits. I also continued to purge and focused on letting go of items that could be substituted with other items, and didn't rush into making any purchases until I found the perfect pieces.

My goals for 2016 are to:

• Not purchase any shoes, and continue to let go of more, with the ultimate goal to own 25 pairs of shoes
• Continue to work on using the things I love and not worry about them getting ruined
• Continue to shop within my collection of bags and wallets, and let go of 10 items
• Stay within my budget of $1,000, and again, not include any major investment pieces or bags
• Have 4 purchase-free months
• Continue to purge so I can consolidate all my items into 1 closet
• Build a 'rainy day' fund by selling any items that may have some value to use towards a pre-loved Louis Vuitton Speedy 35/40.

2016 Wishlist and "needs" (these items are exceptions to any 'do not' buy lists):

• Black wedge ankle boots 
• Gray leather bag 
• Gray wool winter coat
• Navy sheath dress
• Pre-loved Speedy 35/40
• Black sheath dress

'Do not buy' list: 

• Trousers and Khakis
• Shoes
• Bags, wallets and small pouches
• Jeans

Merry Christmas!!! - Preparing for 2016

Merry Christmas!!! I hope everyone is having a wonderful day with their loved ones. I'm spending the day with my husband and enjoying the time we have together before he heads back up north to finish school.

I'll make this post short and sweet =)

After what I consider to be a pretty successful 2015 year of purging and refining my wardrobe, and being mindful about my purchases, I'm very much looking forward to setting new goals and furthering my progress of perfecting my closet. 

How am I preparing?

• I'm taking another sweep of my wardrobe to see if there are any other items I can remove;
• I've set aside some items that may have re-sale value and listed them for sale to build a 'rainy day' reserve fund outside of my budget for some pre-loved bags I have had my eye on should they become suddenly available;
• I'm checking my Stylebook App to remind myself of the number of items I have in each category and revise my 'no buy' lists;
• I'm revisiting my 2015 resolutions to remind me of my goals and decide which goals to keep, revise, and what new goals to add; and
• Reorganizing my closet

I'm looking forward to sharing my new goals with you and seeing how I can make 2016 an even more successful year!

December, the month of reflection

I've been waiting for December 2015 to come along with great excitement! I have been diligently tracking my shopping purchases and trying to work within my wardrobe goals for 2 years, and can finally do a comparison between 2014 and 2015, and with 2 full years under my belt, feel I can finally get a better understanding of my budget and habits. 

Since I only started blogging towards the end of 2014, I'm going to go over 2014 in detail, and work my way up from there until the end of this year.

What I didn't do in 2014 was include my shoe purchases in my grand total of money spent, but I did keep track of them in a separate excel sheet specifically for shoes, so I was still able to determine what I spent on clothing that year. Unfortunately, I was't able to track the cost per wear for those shoes since I don't go into as much detail in their separate excel sheet as I do for my yearly budget sheet. (In 2015, I did include shoes into my full year's tracking.) 

My goal to purge and purchase better items had already begun in 2014 but I was mostly focused on purging rather than finding 'perfect pieces'. My purchases were less thought out in the 'wardrobe staple' department and more about filling in areas that needed replacing, or just things that I liked. The only well thought out pieces were my investment pieces.

In 2014, I didn't give myself a budget, but I also didn't go crazy - I would like to think I'm a pretty responsible shopper to being with, so not having a budget didn't affect me too much. In total, I spent $1028.78, for non-investment purchases, and $1,570 on 4 investment pieces (2 Burberry jackets/coats, and 2 Seiko watches), for a total of  $2,598.78. 

** For 2015, I made a conscious decision not to include any investment pieces into my regular wardrobe budget since they are intended to be long-lasting and very, very well thought out and calculated pieces. **

Spending $1,029 bought me a total of 33 items, including 4 pairs of shoes (including my ever so difficult to fit, knee-high boots), a winter coat that turned out to be one of my best purchases to-date (and an unexpected, very well-priced, investment piece), 3 items of gym wear, and an awesome black sheath dress. I also discovered that GAP boyfriend button-ups fit me very well and that I love their broken-in khakis, having bought 4 pairs. 

From those purchases, I have since donated 2 tops because I didn't like them any more, ended up wearing out my black sheath dress and a tunic, and ruined one of my favourite coloured khakis from a bleach accident (I've only recently bleached the entire pair of pants in an attempt to salvage them).

Since 2014, my cost per wear for each items has ended in single digits, with 6 items well under my $1 cost per wear threshold and approximately 10 items nearing that mark. The only item still in the double digits is my red Burberry quilted trench coat, but that was expected, and since I intend to have that for many, many years, am not too bothered by it.

Over all, my 2014 purchases helped me to: 

• find a great alternative to jeans by introducing me to khakis
• find a well-fitted button-up style
• finally find a pair of knee-high boots that fit me
• focus in on specific colors that are now my color palette of choice - gray, white/ivory, navy/blues, and black
• find an awesome cobalt wool coat that I absolutely love
• determine what kind of investment pieces I'm looking for and what areas of my wardrobe I'm willing to spend that kind of money on (coats, yes, definitely will lean towards paying investment prices; the watches were a one-time purchase and while they aren't in the price caliber as a Rolex, they meet my criteria of going with everything, are of solid quality, and are not pieces I intend to buy again until they break).

One quarter left of the year - how are my budget and goals looking?

This year, I set aside $1,000 for my wardrobe budget, not including investment pieces. We're down to the last 3 months - how's it going? It's going pretty great!

With $1,000 it gives me $250 per quarter to spend on seasonal or staple items and so far I've purchased 31 items, with $168.44 left to spend.

Most of my purchases have been for work, 8 of them being shoes. Despite purchasing 8 pairs of shoes, I've also let go of about 10 pairs and my count is currently at 47, compared to the 50+ I started with at the beginning of the year (I wish I had written down my start numbers). Even though I purchased more shoes than I had wanted to, they are all staple pairs for work and some were to replace those that were on their way out.

Aside from shoes, I've been quite successful with almost all of my wardrobe goals that I set out to meet this year - briefly, I downsized the number of coats and jackets I have, have not purchased a single bag or wallet and have been regularly rotating throughout my collection, and continued to purge my wardrobe.

How are you doing with your wardrobe goals?

September comings and goings

Coming - 3 

Technically, NOTHING (at least nothing that I bought myself) - It is my second no-spend month of the year!!

• Gifted - Swarovski necklace
• Gifted - Banana Republic earrings
• Gifted - Jeweled firefly necklace

Goings - 3+

• Necklace
• Tahari sleeveless top - actually, it will be demoted to a sleep shirt (letting go of another one of my sleep shirts which I don't log in my Stylebook App)
• Banana Republic khaki colored trousers - don't like the way they fit anymore 
• not directly from my home closet, but from my closet at my parents' house; I donated a number of work appropriate pieces. I had been hoping I would fit into them later, but my friend is involved in a program to collect clothing for women who are looking to get back on their feet, so I let them go. And I'm very, very, very close to completely having no clothing at my parents' place.

Review: Rocky Mountain Soap Company's Lavendar and Oat Face Mask

Just sharing my thoughts on the face mask sample I received from the Rocky Mountain Soap Company - I typically am very lazy when it comes to using face masks, but since I'm fast becoming a life-long fan of this company and its products, I couldn't wait to test it out.

 

I tried the Lavender and Oak Calming Face Mask -

 

The lavender smell is SO amazing and it was instantly cooling. When I was sitting there waiting for it to dry, I felt so calm and just couldn't help but relax. I added a few drops of water to get the consistency I wanted in the paste and it gave me ample time to apply before beginning to dry. I love the feeling of a mask hardening and waited 15 minutes before removing it with a face sponge. I was left with a clean tingling feeling and didn't feel I needed to apply face moisturizer immediately (like I normally do any time after washing my face due to my really dry skin). The second time I used it was because I felt my face starting to itch and wanted to cool it down - worked like a charm. For reference, I have extremely sensitive skin - one year I had a year-long reaction for no reason and my body would not heal itself properly (luckily not on my face)... just for reference.

 

I can't wait to try all of them - the next one on my list is the Tea Tree Deep-Cleansing mask and would definitely love to spread the joy of this Lavender one. Such amazingness!

I really like the cute little packets it comes in!

They're so pleasing to look at, all lined up like that!

$12 per one 28 gram pack, up to 3 servings
(I was surprised that my sample was a full sized sample)

 

I've used it twice already and can probably get another 3 uses, easily;
the sales associate said she got 6

 

That's how much I used -
I'd say about the amount that would tightly fill a bottle cap



Just add a little water to turn it into a paste; when freshly applied

 

When dried after 15 minutes

 

Do you still fit?

I live in a country with 4 seasons so most of my clothing only gets worn 50% of the time. When the seasons change and I start to bring out my seasonal clothing, I hold my breath as I try everything on again, and pray that they still fit. It's nerve wrecking. 

The things I worry about the most are outerwear, pants and skirts; especially outerwear for me this year because last year I spent quite a bit of cha-ching to upgrade a few of my coats and jackets - luckily, now that we've come full circle, they still fit. Talk about a sigh of relief. 

The next thing I was worried about were my corduroys - I bought them in January of this year and lived in them. I couldn't wait to break them out again but I was a bit worried because in January I had lost some weight and have gained a little bit of it back since then (although I felt I looked smaller; it really could have gone either way) and these are a more snug fit - luckily they still fit but in the last couple of weeks, I've definitely put a few pounds on due to celebrations and visitors. 

This stress/worry of fitting into things again is not my cup of tea - I remember the days of my youth when things would fit all the time, maybe even perhaps too long. Changes must be made!...

Which, falls in line with another life goal of mine: to maintain a healthy body type. I'm considered overweight for my height and ethnicity, and while I'm not aiming to look like a wafer, I do want to be tone and feel strong. Purchasing these pricey pieces has helped to give me another reason to work towards this goal so I that I no longer have to fear asking the question: do you still fit?

Review: Rocky Mountain Soap butters, hand lotion and deodorant

I want to do a follow-up post - earlier in the year I found these products and I have finally used the last of them. I wanted to share my experience with those who might by considering a change, or are curious. 

I chose these products due to their organic and toxin-free ingredients and this is fantastic for my sensitive skin. 

The body and hand butters - I originally was very excited about the packaging of these but after getting down towards the end of the tube, I wasn't too thrilled. It actually falls off easily towards the end and the way the butter is packed into the tube, there is actually a lot of wasted butter. If the bottom part of the package hadn't fallen out and rolled onto the gross floor, I could have scooped it out and still used it. The butter itself was great for my legs because they get suuuuper dry; I don't quite like it for the rest of my body though as it does get heavy and doesn't spread easily. The smell though, is really amazing. The hand butter, same deal, but it's a bit too greasy for my liking. 

The hand lotion - love the smell of it but I find the texture to be a bit on the thin side. It's great if you have normal hands that aren't very dry like mine, but for myself, I need something that is a bit heavier but not greasy (the hand butter is a bit too greasy; I put it on the top of my hand and it's ok). I have to reapply this frequently. The packaging leaves a lot of waste when you get to the end so I do suggest cutting the top of it off and scoop out the rest of it - I was able to get almost a week of use from what was left in the tube. 

(Yes, in case you haven't noticed, I am big on packaging and waste of product)

The deodorant - I am still un-decided about how I feel about this. I love the roller-ball packaging but I'm not sure if it's effective. The smell is nice and fresh, the feel of it is very nice and cooling and doesn't leave a wet feeling after application for too long. Later on in the day, the smell of it doesn't smell the same (I'm sure due to me sweating) but it doesn't leave me smelling bad - just different. I might try another scent and come back to review this particular item. 

Overall - I would get the body butter for travel purposes because it's very compact, and I'd keep a travel size one in my bag for emergency dry-skin problems. For every day use, I'd probably use it at night so the butter has time to absorb into my skin. I won't buy the hand butter or lotion again. 

They have toxin-free days where they give away samples of products - I received a lavender face mask this week and look forward to trying it. I will continue to explore their products - I'm looking forward to trying their lip-balms when I'm done with all of mine I'm trying to get through. 

One and the same - let's lighten that closet!

Can you account for every article of clothing you own? Yes? You sure? 

I'm glad I started this blog to capture milestones, and remind myself of what I previously thought. In one of my earlier posts, I wrote, "I didn’t have an insane amount of clothes to begin with ..."

I thought I didn't until I continued to find myself thinking "Oh yeah!" upon discovering a forgotten piece that was hiding in the back of my closet, or in the weird nook and crannies of my drawers. They weren't there because I didn't like them, or they didn't fit any more; some were actual wardrobe staples of mine! How could this happen? 

Was it because I actually had a lot of clothing? I argue against that, but who really knows haha. That aside, I think I figured it out.

My first major purge targeted items that I didn't like anymore, didn't fit, didn't flatter, etc, and the usual list goes on. What I didn't do was remove items that I had more than one kind of, or can be interchanged with one another. If they didn't fit the purge criteria, I kept them.

Where did my black pants go? I didn't even have to ask myself because there would already be another pair of black pants hanging right in front of me (or something I easily substituted it for). This leaves me with possibly 3-5 times the amount of items that essentially serve the same style purpose.

I recently did another round of purging and identified these duplicate or  interchangeable items - I picked 1 or 2 of my favourites from the bunch and culled the rest. My wardrobe has seen another significant purge, allowing me to better remember what I already own and preventing me from purchasing another item that might be too similar.

With even less now, it's much, much easier for me to exercise the one-in-one out rule because I actually only have 1 of that item that serves a more specific purpose, and also it helps me to better consider whether what I want to bring in will indeed enhance my wardrobe and style, is of variety, and won't simply just add to its numbers. 

We're halfway through 2015 - let's re-cap!

We're starting the third quarter now, and halfway through the year! How am I doing with this year's goals? Let's take a look!

My goals for 2015 are to:

• continue to downsize the number of shoes I have - I purged a lot this year but there are still some that I can let go of. Also, I won't be replacing a number of them when they wear through. Since my purchases in the first quarter I added my first pair of Converse to my collection. 
  
• continue to work on using the things I love and not worry about them getting ruined. This is still going well, especially in the shoes department!
• build a capsule wardrobe for each month - unlike some capsule wardrobe challenges, I'm not limiting the number of items I will use but I will make sure the amount is reasonable. In the second quarter, I attempted a color capsule instead and it's a lot easier! The hot weather did put a minor wrench in it as I wasn't prepared for such heat, so I did have to ditch my designated monthly color a bit and mix it up so I could wear lighter material items.
• continue to shop out of my bag and wallet collection and implement a one-in, one-out rule.  I still have not bought a single bag or wallet so far =) To-date, I've let go of 1 card case.
• rotate through all my wallets throughout the year. Through my wallet rotations, I'm on my 5th wallet this year; second key holder (using a Coach skinny now); and have used 35 different bags at least once.
• use jewelry more to accessorize my daily outfits. Getting better at this =) I've been pretty consistent since the first quarter and even purchased 2 new bracelets to add to the mix. 
• continue to purge, re-fine, and down-size my wardrobe. Continuing!
• budget $1,000 for wardrobe purchases (not including investment pieces that may replace current wardrobe staples). After 2 quarters, I am currently only $5 over my yearly budget.
• downsize the number of jackets and coats. Surprisingly, by time we finished the second quarter, I had managed to let go of 3 jackets/coats in total. I'm still at 15 jackets/coats, but pleased to see I'm getting closer to my goal of owning only 10.
• use the bags I weren't able to use in 2014 - if I don't use them again in 2015, consider letting them go. So far I've used 2 that I didn't use last year and have 30 left to go; fun fact: of that, there are 6 bags I didn't use in 2014 either.  
• have some purchase-free months. So far only March has been purchase-free.

May color capsule summary and showcase!

N and I have just completed our second month of color capsules! In May, we decided to keep to our basic colors and we each added a color for the start of Spring - she chose peach, and I chose pink!

Here is a summary of our outfits!

Mine - 

I've highlighted my favourites in green. So far, I'm still loving this color capsule concept versus a pre-chosen number of items. With a color capsule, I'm allowed more flexibility but it still keeps my numbers to a manageable amount. Although I introduced pink into the mix, I only used 3 items in that color and the rest of the items are still coming from my basics - black, white, gray, and navy. 

N's - 

Again, I love N's choice. Peach looks fantastic on her and she seems to have incorporated more of her additional color into her outfits than I did. Her clothes always have an interesting pattern or detail to them, and always look feminine; she always uses some fantastic accessories too! 

For the month of June,we have both chosen to add blue, of the brighter variety =) Stay tuned!

May comings and goings

What came in - 12

• Swarovski bracelet from the Stardust collection - love it so much!! I very rarely buy costume jewelry but I LOVE Swarovski pieces and can never resist a dark colored piece.
• 3 pieces from H&M - 2 throw-over dresses in navy and orange; and a orange striped sweatshirt. These 3 purchases are fast becoming a staple in my wardrobe, especially the dresses. I had originally purchased 2 items back in February, but decided to exchange them for something else since they were still sitting in my closet with tags on them. Upon exchange, I immediately went home and changed into one of the dresses for dinner - very telling =)
• 4 skirts and a skinny belt from the Banana Republic outlet - all 5 pieces for around $50, can't go wrong there! The only draw back is that the two ivory skirts I purchased are a tad too short for work when I sit down, but great for dates nights, and evenings out. 
• Dress, sandals, and earrings - they were a gift from my friend for being in her bridal party <3 (do these actually count? hrm...)

The Tano sandal from Aldo - I love the color and details of this!

What went out - 11

• Adidas Missy Elliot sneakers - after several attempts at trying to sell them, and trying to work it back into my wardrobe, I decided to just donate them. This is great because I'm one more pair of shoes down to having only 20 pairs =) still a long way to go....
• T-shirt - just didn't fit me the same anymore.
• Sweater - didn't feel the same way about it anymore.
• Black and white houndstooth jacket - letting this go was a sad moment for me; I love this piece but ruined it by trying to bleach some of the white squares =( I learned after I tried to bleach it, that trying to bleach anything that isn't cotton just turns it yellow.
• Purple denim shorts.
• Gray Tommy Hilfiger skirt with pockets (one of my previous go-to items in the summer but it was looking 'tired') 
• Red and black sweater dress - really loved this piece as I had purchased it on a trip to Malaysia many years ago but it just wasn't working for me any more.
• 2 Hoodies (this makes me incredibly happy as I'm trying very hard to lessen the amount I have)
• Pair of dress shorts - from last year, don't like the fit of it any more. 
• Ralph Lauren cami from their sleep wear - didn't fit any more.

My first #ootd post

This is my first "Outfit of the Day" post!

As I get better at putting together outfits, I hope to share with you some of my favourites. 

I put together this look in my Stylebook App and wore it yesterday to the office. I'm very happy with it, especially with my choice in accessories, something that I am really trying  to incorporate into my outfits to enhance them.

PS - that's not how I normally stand, I just wanted to share the shoes ;)

Top | Banana Republic (~3 years old)
Skirt | Banana Republic (4+ years old)
Shoes | Zara (bought July 2014; worn for the first time yesterrday)
Necklace | bought in a store equivalent to Forever 21 during a trip to Malaysia (10+ years ago; only recently started to use it)
Bag | Coach - "Candace" from the Legacy collection
Bracelets | Birks (my ever day bracelet for the last 10 years), Swarovski Stardust collection (recent purchase)
Watch | Seiko (bought last year; my favourite watch)
Trench coat | Banana Republic (~3 years old)

I love this look for several reasons - I'm getting to mix the current mules trend with my safe and work-appropriate pencil skirt outfit; there's a pop of color; I've been mindful to utilize accessories to complete the look; all the colors in the outfit are part of my current color capsule; I'm actually wearing the fun shoes I have instead of just defaulting to my flats; I'm using old and new items; and best of all, it was super comfy and I felt great in it!

Mini goals achieved!

Wardrobe related, this is a short but very satisfying post.

One of my goals is to own 10 coats/jackets - to make it a more realistic and achievable goal, I aimed to let go of three in 2015. I am pleased to announce that I have achieved this!

Lifestyle goal related, this is a super satisfying post. 

A lifestyle I'm striving for is one that combines being active, strong, and fit, while also living my life - I don't want to confine myself just to the gym, or restrict myself to endless diets. My husband loves being outside and while I enjoy it, it takes a lot of convincing to get me there. I'm working on changing that and spending more time breathing in the fresh air, and spending more quality time with my husband, doing something he loves. It's also great for me to get that 'natural workout.' 

On that note, over the weekend, my husband and I tackled the Grouse Grind. Located in North Vancouver, the summer transforms Grouse Mountain into one of the most popular hikes for tourists and locals. It is a steep trail that climbs 2,800 feet,  with an average grade of 17 degrees. The total number of stairs is 2,830 and the fastest time is about 23 minutes, with an average time of 1.5 hours. For those visiting Vancouver, I highly recommend trying it. If you're visiting in the winter, it is one of our local ski hills. You can find more info here. It was his first time doing the Grind, since he has moved to BC and while most find it grueling, he found it to be 'easier than he had thought' - yes, I married one of those. HAHA. I'm happy he enjoyed it - it felt great to be outside and I got lots of exercise.

Here are some of my pictures - 

The bottom of the Grind, and my husband making a cameo <3

View at the top

View of the gondolas to take you back down - $10 for the ride down 

April color capsule summary and showcase!

Well, April is over now and N and I have stayed true to our pact and goal. We have been sticking to a color capsule of black, white, navy, and gray for our work outfits. Here's a look at our outfits!

Mine

I highlighted some of my favourites - It was a lot of fun and the only hard part was sometimes I found myself reaching for things that weren't in my color capsule. It wasn't because I couldn't find anything to wear, it was because they happened to be there; instead of giving in, I saved those items for the weekend. I found that I used my Michael Kors skinny belt a lot and it made a big difference - prior to this month, I rarely used the belt but it's now quite a staple of mine. I also tried out a scarf that was sitting in my closet and fell in love with it. My white GAP tunic got lots of wear (still so pleased about this purchase!) and take note, of the variety in shoes - yup, I'm getting quite good at changing up my shoes! Next month, since we are entering warmer weather, I will be adding pink to my color capsule.

N's

Loved all of N's outfits, especially her scarves and this awesome white top that she has, shown in the first outfit, and her fantastic blazer. Seeing hers makes me want a longer blazer as mine are quite short and seem to make me look a bit heavier than I am. She also has fantastic accessories!! For next month, she will be injecting peach/beige to her color capsule. (PS - N went on vacation and we also had a 4 day long weekend. We're not slackers lol). 

Starting April off right!

I am SO happy to share that I was able to pass to my friend several items that I no longer am able to fit into - I was able to let go of 11 items!!

I passed on:

• 2 pairs of jeans
• 3 hoodies
• 1 zip-up
• 1 pair of runners
• 1 blouse
• 1 blazer
• 1 jacket 
• 1 canvas tote

I am SO pleased to let go of my jeans, hoodies, runners, and jacket the most because they were items that I am trying to lower in number. 

What a great way to start April!!!!